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"This book is the first of its kind for an Irish audience and it deserves to be a best-seller. Authoritative, clear, practical and evidence-based, a discerning public should receive it warmly." Prof Patricia Casey, The Irish Independent

One in four individuals will develop a mental illness at some point in their life, and virtually everyone knows someone with a mental illness or a family affected by suicide. Each year, hundreds of thousands of individuals attend general practitioners for mental health problems; tens of thousands attend community mental health teams; and there are 17,000 admissions to inpatient psychiatric facilities in Ireland, of which over 2,000 are involuntary admissions under the Mental Health Act 2001.

Mental Health in Ireland provides a clear overview of mental health, illness and well-being in Ireland. It includes a clear guide to common mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, dementia, eating disorders and suicide and self-harm. For each condition, four key questions are answered: What are the signs and symptoms? How common is it? What are the causes? What are the treatments?

Written by one of Ireland’s leading psychiatrists, the book also explains mental health policy and services in Ireland, how to access care and community support, the rules governing involuntary mental health care, and the underpinnings of happiness and well-being in Ireland today. In clear, accessible language, Mental Health in Ireland offers an essential and unique guide for patients, families, carers, mental health professionals and anyone with an interest in mental health and illness.

About the Author

Brendan Kelly CPsychI FRCPsych FRCPI is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and Consultant Psychiatrist at Tallaght Hospital. In addition to his medical degree (MB BCh BAO), Professor Kelly holds masters degrees in epidemiology (MSc), healthcare management (MA), Buddhist studies (MA) and an MA (jure officii); and doctorates in medicine (MD), history (PhD), governance (DGov) and law (PhD). He is also UCD Clinical Professor at University College Dublin (UCD) School of Medicine; a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (London) and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; and a member of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland. Professor Kelly has authored or co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and 400 non-peer-reviewed publications. He has written several books including Hearing Voices: The History of Psychiatry in Ireland (Irish Academic Press, 2016) and “He Lost Himself Completely”: Shell Shock and Its Treatment at Dublin’s Richmond War Hospital, 1916-19 (The Liffey Press, 2014).